


always i know (you'll be at my show)

by kay_emm_gee



Series: Hands In, Aca-Bitches! [5]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Acapella, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 02:16:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7022494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kay_emm_gee/pseuds/kay_emm_gee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nate never saw the draw of a capella, and it was never something he would remotely dream of voluntarily including in his life. When he spots Monty at a concert, though, he finds himself reconsidering his life choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	always i know (you'll be at my show)

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my multiship a capella series!

Nathan could not-- _could not_ \--believe he was at an a capella concert, of all places. Even when he had been in undergrad himself, he had escaped the seemingly infinite number of concerts, jams, samplers, what-have-yous that entailed listening to groups of overexcited Idol-wannabes singing yet another rendition of ‘Wagon Wheel’. His friends once joked that dislike was what had spurred him to graduate a year early.

Yet here he was, in the campus church, slouching next to Bellamy who was looking far too pleased to be at this type of event. Of course that could have something to do with Gina, who had been making his friend pretty happy lately. Which made his predicament even worse: he was third-wheeling. At an _a capella_ concert.

Nathan slouched further down in his seat. He considered pulling his beanie down over his head, but he wasn’t that rude. One hour was all he had to endure--just one hour.

Fifteen minutes in, he had to stifle a groan as the second group took the stage. Bellamy nudged him, and Nathan elbowed him back.

“We can leave after O sings,” his friend muttered.

“They’re the last act,” he hissed back.

Bellamy just grinned and put his arm around Gina. Nathan muttered _asshole_ under his breath and folded his arms across his chest. Rolling his head back, he stared up at the ceiling while the group on the dais sang a weird jazzy version of ‘Crazy In Love’. Two more songs later and he was considering heading to Grounders early; he certainly needed a drink. He pointedly checked his phone for the time, but Bellamy ignored his sighs.

Resigned, Nathan glared at the new group of guys taking place up at the front. Then he glared down at the crumpled program in his hand and saw this act was called the Waldentones. A little piece of him felt like it was dying inside at reading the atrocious mish-mashed name.

He was very shocked, however, when they began to sing and it didn’t feel like his ears were bleeding. In fact, it was a kind of pleasant shock. They were-- _good_. Really good. Nathan recognized Wells, of course, from some of his graduate work with the theater department. The rest of the guys were unknown to him, but a few of them were distractingly attractive enough to pique his interest. It wasn’t until he saw the shorter guy with the bright eyes who was bouncing along more enthusiastically than the rest that he sat up in the pew.

The guy kept shaking his hair out of his eyes, but it just kept falling back. His hands were too busy snapping along to the melody to do anything useful in that regard. So Nathan watched through the entire first song as he fought, and lost, the battle against his shaggy hair. It was funny, in an adorable sort of way. It also made Nathan’s hand twitch from the urge to push it back for him.

He had almost forgot they had one more act to sit through, as absorbed as he was in the Waldentones performance. When the boy and the other singers bowed, Nathan felt as if he was breaking water’s surface. He shook his head, clearing it of the muffled ringing that the sudden silence caused.

Ark’N’Sass was just as good, but without someone good-looking to hold his attention, Nathan drifted off into boredom again. As soon as their last number finished, he gave a few claps and then jumped up from his seat. Bellamy tossed him the keys and told him they’d be out after congratulating Octavia.

It wasn’t until he was at the door that, for a moment, he wished he had stayed behind too, because he caught the sight of the messy-haired guy hanging out at the front of the aisle. If he stayed, he might be able to get a name.

Then someone pushed by him out to the parking lot, and Nathan turned away with a shake of his head. He could meet plenty of guys--guys who weren’t undergrads, guys who weren’t _damn_   _a capella_ singers.

Yeah, he really didn’t need to get that name.

* * *

 

Grounders was crowded, especially for an open mic night, but Nathan still yelled over to Murphy that he was taking his break. His co-worker flipped him off, then yelled _get your ass back here we’re too busy!_ but he didn’t stop. Ever since he had glimpsed the a capella guy in the crowd holding a guitar case, he had been trying to find a minute to take a peek at the set list. He finally had his minute.

Flinging a rag over his shoulder, Nathan ducked in the back. As he chugged down a glass of lukewarm water poured at the start of his shift, he casually glanced at the list posted on the back of the door. It was ridiculous; no one was here to see him looking. Still, the paranoia was there. He jumped when a loud cheer went up from the crowd. Scowling, he took another gulp of water was he scanned the list.

There were only two solo guitar acts tonight, and one he had seen before (though he wished he hadn’t). So that left one option: Monty Green. And he was up next.

Nathan choked as he finished off his drink, hurrying back out to the bar. Murphy glared at him as he passed behind him and muttered something dark under his breath. He didn’t bother responding, just nodded at the two girls waiting to have their order filled.

He was pulling a beer when he heard Monty introduce himself. When he glanced up, he saw the guy sitting comfortably on the stool, smiling easily at the crowd. Clearly he had done this before. Not here--Nathan definitely would’ve noticed him.

He felt beer spill over his knuckles, and he swore. Murphy shot him a look from the other end of the bar, and Nathan just slid the drinks over to the customers. He _never_ overpoured. Trying to shake it off, he took orders faster and faster, even as his attention kept flitting over to Monty and the way his fingers deftly strummed over the strings.

He was making a gin and tonic when Monty started singing. The smooth sound of his voice took Nathan off guard enough that he managed to spray both the gin and the tonic on the counter.

“Jesus fuck, you’re a mess tonight,” Murphy muttered when he passed by.

“You’re always a mess,” Nathan snapped. Murphy cackled at the subpar comeback; Nathan couldn’t blame him.

Monty had two more songs, and Nathan only spilled one more drink. Though he didn’t particularly like the original versions of the songs Monty had sung tonight, the way he had done the arrangements made them actually enjoyable. Obviously it helped that Monty had an incredible voice too.

A bit after he finished his set, Nathan poured a tray of waters and told Murphy, “I’m gonna bring the performers some drinks.”

Murphy gave him another strange look. Nathan just ignored him, even as his cheeks flushed tellingly.

By some stroke of luck, Monty was one of the last performers to take a glass. Resting the tray against his side, Nathan said, “You were great.”

“Thanks.” Monty smiled, taking a sip. “I was pretty nervous.”

“Couldn’t even tell.”

“You were bartending though--how closely were you paying attention?”

Nathan felt a small thrill go through him--Monty had noticed him. “Oh, I can multitask.”

Monty’s grin widened. “So can I.”

With a laugh, Nathan ducked his head, fingers gripping the edge of the tray tighter. He tried to come up with something else to say, but his mind drew a horrible blank. Monty sipped and continued to smile at him. As he continued to struggle for words though, that grin faded.

“I’ll let you get back to work,” Monty said, jerking his head towards the bar.

Before Nathan could stop him, he turned away with a nod to head back to the front of the crowd. He watched him go with a sinking feeling in his stomach. This was twice now he seemed to have missed out an opportunity with Monty, and he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to get a third chance.

So the next month, it was quite a pleasant surprise when he showed up for his shift on open mic night to find Monty sitting at the bar already, guitar case at his feet.

“Hey,” Nathan said, again at a loss for words.

“Hey.” Monty grinned. “I realized I didn’t get your name last time.”

“It’s, uh, Miller. Nathan, actually. My friends call me Nate.”

“Nate.” Monty said it slow, testing it out. It made Miller grin, and not even Murphy’s snort from down the bar that could dampen the warm feeling growing inside him.

* * *

 

Nate took a deep breath as he opened his bedroom door. The voices in his living room grew clearer, and he waved at Clarke and Octavia as he passed by to the kitchen. Bellamy was in there chatting with Wells, who was stocking the fridge with beer. At least it was craft IPA--if they were going to host a friggin’ a capella party in their apartment, that was some consolation.

Clarke and Octavia had been wheedling approval from Bellamy to host this thing for weeks. He’d put up a good fight, but once they had worn him down, it was pretty much a done deal. Nathan would’ve felt like an asshole if he’d vetoed it. So--they were having a party for the a capella kids in their apartment. This was his life now, apparently, and it was almost his choice too.

(He might have casually asked Clarke which groups were coming, and who from which groups. He’d had to duck his head in order to hide the pleased smile on his face when she listed Monty off as one of those attending.)

Wells handed Nathan a beer out of reflex. After he flipped the top off, he knocked it on top of Bellamy’s bottle. His roommate swore colorfully as foam bubbled over and then threw him a dark look.

“That’s for tonight,” Nathan said calmly but with a satisfied smile.

“You’re going to enjoy this party, asshole, and I’m going to hold that over your head. Forever.”

Nathan snorted and took a long sip of his drink. Someone knocked on the door, and when it opened, revealing a guy with goggles on his head, a girl in a pink dress, and Monty, he choked up beer. Bellamy cracked up, as did Wells, but at least he was polite enough to stick his head in the fridge to muffle his laughter.

“Fuck you both,” Nathan grumbled as he pushed off the counter. If he was trying to be subtle, he would’ve stayed in the kitchen. Either way, though, his friends were going to make fun of him, so he might as well try and flirt with Monty to make the ribbing worth it.

Clarke waylaid him though, needing help with the music set up. By the time he fixed the stereo problem, more people had shown up. Monty was surrounded, and Nathan felt a little nervous at barging in. Then he caught his eye, and he waved him over. After a long sip, Nathan pushed his way through the crowd until he was at his side.

“Hey,” he called over the loud music and conversation.

“Hey!” Monty was bright eyed, red-faced, and smiling warmly. It made Nate smile too. Then he laughed, with Monty following. “Nice place.”

“It’s good for parties.”

“We appreciate the loan. I promise it won’t end up trashed.”

“I was really worried about that,” he deadpanned. “You guys have a real reputation.”

Monty feigned an insulted scowl. “Are you saying we’re not super cool party people worthy of a horrendous drunken reputation?”

Nathan snorted. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

For a beat, Monty tried to keep a straight face, but he broke out into a genuine smile again soon enough. It was the type of smile that made Nathan feel good about leaning in closer, enough to notice the fresh woodsy scent rolling off him. Conversation came easily after that, especially as they floated farther and farther away from the group. By the time they rolled around to discussing Monty’s gap year that he took with Jasper, they were leaning up against a living room wall, drinks empty and no desire to break away to get a second round.

Monty was mid-sentence when Nathan realized he had been staring at his mouth. For a while--long enough that he had probably noticed. Sure enough, when he looked up, Monty’s eyes glinted with knowing amusement.

“Should I repeat that?” Monty joked as he cocked his head.

Nathan laughed. Then he leaned down and kissed him. His lips were a little bitter from the beer, but Nate couldn’t help smiling from the thrill of feeling Monty lean into the kiss. He was about to deepen it when he vaguely registered the song changing, and then all of a sudden Monty was mumbling excitedly against his lips.

“What?” Nate murmured, loathe to pull away.

“This is my favorite song,” Monty repeated a little sheepishly.

It took Nate a minute, but when he heard the harmonizing voices from across the room, he let out a sound that was halfway between a sigh and a laugh. “I’m guessing I better get used to this, huh?”

In reply, Monty surged up to kiss him firmly, smiling as he pulled away. “Oh, yeah. Definitely. But I’ll make it up to you later.”

Nathan shook his head in disbelief--at himself, not Monty, because oh did he certainly believe in Monty’s word--because this was his life: giving up making out with a potential boyfriend so he could watch him sing.

These were the choices he was making now. Somehow, as Nathan hummed along to the joyous voices of Monty and his friends, he couldn’t see how any other choice would be better, especially when Monty looked over and grinned in a way that almost made him want to join in singing too.

* * *

 

Nathan was front row at the next a capella concert, and he grinned when Monty saw him and tripped over a few lines of lyrics. Monty’s cheeks flushed more and more red throughout the performance, and he didn’t look over again until the end. Right at that moment, Nate put his fingers to his lips and let out a piercing wolf whistle of approval. Some of the guys clapped Monty on the back laughing in friendly teasing, and their friends in the crowd were equally amused. 

Yeah, Nate was really starting to enjoy attending a capella events, especially if he got to let everyone know how awesome his boyfriend was. 


End file.
